Tuskegee university requests an Endowment Grant (RFA RR-01-0007) of five million dollars to develop and sustain programs in the following three areas: 1) recruitment and retention of students and faculty, 2) strengthen research infrastructure, and 3) improvement of teaching and research programs in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other minority institutions are poorly represented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Although the reasons for under-representation are multiple and complex, recruitment and retention of adequate numbers of qualified students and faculty are of priority concern in addressing this problem. The "pipeline" of quality minority candidates has stagnated on all educational levels and across most academic fields. In science and research careers, historically under-represented minorities are practically nonexistent. Major barriers for underrepresented minority students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the health professions are lack of sufficient funding to support the recruitment and retention of students and faculty and activities to strengthen teaching programs in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. The requested Endowment Grant will enhance the quantity and quality of biomedical research and education enterprise at Tuskegee University. African American and other under-represented minorities seeking access to biomedical research and health professions careers will reap the benefits from the development and implementation of the proposed programs. This in the long run significantly impact on reducting the gap in health disparities in minority communities.